Article Title

Author(s)

Journal Title/Source

International Criminal Justice Review

Publication Date

5-2003

Volume

13

Issue (if applicable)

1

Page Numbers

1-27

Document Type

Journal Article

Department

Criminal Justice

Abstract

Transnational crime, the illicit procurement, transportation, and distribution of commodities across international borders, is an area of increasing interest for criminologists. Most of the current research focuses on drug trafficking, human smuggling, and money laundering. However, one serious type of transnational crime, the large-scale exploitation and theft of natural resources, has yet to be studied in detail by criminologists. This article reports the results of a descriptive criminological analysis of a specific kind of transnational criminality involving the theft of natural resources-the transnational illegal wildlife trade. The findings include a description of the organization and operation of the illicit wildlife market and profiles of the participants and their motivations and methods.